Navigation Links
Feats of strength begin a lizard's day
Date:8/28/2008

Male Jamaican anole lizards begin and end the day with displays of reptilian strength -- push-ups, head bobs and extensions of a colorful neck flap, or dewlap -- to defend their territory, according to a new study.

"Anoles are highly visual species, so in that sense it is not surprising that they would use visual displays to mark territory," said Terry J. Ord, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis and at Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology. The lizards are the first animals known to mark dawn and dusk through visual displays, rather than the much better known chirping, tweeting, and other sounding off by birds, frogs, geckos and primates.

Ord studied four species of Jamaican forest lizard: Anolis lineatopus, Anolis sagrei, Anolis grahami, and Anolis opalinus. Females establish small territories allowing access to food and other resources, while males stake out larger territories allowing them access to several females. The males spend much of the day sitting on tree trunks and displaying head motions, push-ups, and dewlap extensions, all to warn other males away from their territory.

These displays of strength help avert actual physical confrontations between male lizards, which can be very fierce and destructive, Ord said.

Ord videotaped individual males at different times of day, from before dawn to dusk. In all four species, he found distinct peaks of activity at daybreak and for about two hours afterward, and again just before dark. Anoles leave their daytime perches at night to find safe shelter from nocturnal predators.

Scientists disagree on why birds chorus at dawn and dusk: competing ideas range from territorial defense to manifestations of circadian rhythms (the animal's internal clock). Ord said his work suggests male anoles use their morning displays primarily to mark territory.

"The dawn chorus may be a way of communicating having survived the night
'/>"/>

Contact: Andy Fell
ahfell@ucdavis.edu
530-752-4533
University of California - Davis
Source:Eurekalert  

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Armored fish study helps strengthen Darwins natural selection theory
2. ASM and FIND to partner on strengthening infectious disease diagnosis in developing nations
3. European Science Foundation aims to strengthen regenerative medicine
4. In Todays Economy, You Can Strengthen Your Company by Building Your Brand
5. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen in long-term resistance training increases muscle mass/strength
6. Strengthening the tumor-fighting ability of T cells
7. Proteins strength lies in h-bond cooperation
8. Woods Hole Research Center debuts new image mosaic that will strengthen global forest monitoring
9. Runners high may also strengthen hearts
10. Building a stronger roof over your head: 3 little pigs project begins first tests
11. 8-day undersea mission begins experiment to improve coral reef restoration
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
Related Image:
Feats of strength begin a lizard's day
(Date:5/17/2013)... The iCargo project (Intelligent Cargo in Efficient and Sustainable ... thanks to an improvement in the efficiency of intermodal ... assist decision making. It comprises 29 European organisations with ... management. It has a budget totalling 17,000,000 and a ... is working to specify and develop the semantic components ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) released a ... (NIH) funding trends highlighting the devastating impact of sequestration ... FASEB analysis follows a May 15th Senate Appropriations Committee ... testified that the $1.6 billion cut the agency sustained ... substantial impact on the scientific community." , According ...
(Date:5/16/2013)... a commitment to the support of underrepresented minority ... Foundation has announced the inaugural AGA Investing in ... by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive ... underrepresented minority students to further their research careers ... establishing this new award, AGA demonstrates its commitment ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):New logistics services that will cut energy consumption and CO2 emissions 2Underrepresented minority students receive fellowships in digestive disease and nutrition research 2
... of years, Inupiat Eskimos have relied on the bounty of ... shoreline. Professor Deborah Bronk of the Virginia Institute of ... Arctic coastal ecosystem, and how climate change might affect the ... native peoples depend. Bronk,s research team, which will travel ...
... RIVERSIDE, Calif. Geologists at the University of California, ... indicates that Earth,s ancient oceans were oxygen-free and, surprisingly, ... are the first to show that ample hydrogen sulfide ... history," said Timothy Lyons , a professor of ...
... a vital process for oxygen-breathing organisms. Understanding how small ... is also important in catalysis or the implementation of ... porphyrin rings with a central cobalt or iron atom. ... these substances. An important characteristic of porphyrins is ...
Cached Biology News:Researchers brave icy waters to study Arctic food web 2Researchers brave icy waters to study Arctic food web 3Oxygen-free early oceans likely delayed rise of life on planet 2Oxygen-free early oceans likely delayed rise of life on planet 3Direct observation of carbon monoxide binding to metal-porphyrines 2
(Date:5/17/2013)... , May 17, 2013  Yongye International, Inc. ... a leading developer, manufacturer, and distributor of crop nutrient ... , today announced that, on May 16, 2013, ... of directors (the "Board of Directors") was provided a ... Hong Kong ) Limited ("Abax") to Full ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... May 17, 2013 RURO Inc. ... version 4.1, a versatile refinement to the smart ... solution, improves its advanced methodical management for transgenic ... ezColony 4.1. The network-based platform provides user access ... research. While continuing to emphasize streamlined tasks, such ...
(Date:5/16/2013)... (PRWEB) May 16, 2013 ... Barbara A. Myers, CAE, to the newly created ... her new role, Myers will be responsible for ... and production strategies, advancing the Society’s Member-led and ... and continuing to refine organizational, membership and product ...
(Date:5/16/2013)... 16, 2013 Kitware , ... today announces new Phase II SBIR funding from ... development of an open-source, high performance computing (HPC) ... framework enables researchers to select only the toolkits ... simulation, computation, or analysis tasks. , Manufacturers ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Yongye International Provides Update on Status of Proposed Go Private Offer 2Yongye International Provides Update on Status of Proposed Go Private Offer 3Yongye International Provides Update on Status of Proposed Go Private Offer 4RURO Introduces ezColony 4.1 – The Versatile Transgenic Animal Colony Management Software 2ISPE Names Barbara A. Myers, CAE, as Vice President of Professional Development 2Kitware Develops a Customizable Simulation Framework to Provide HPC for Small to Mid-Sized Manufacturers 2
... rise 3% over Fiscal 2006 to $27.5 million - ... Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted), BELLEVILLE, ON, Sept. ... research-based, technology-driven Canadian,biopharmaceutical company, today announced financial results for ... recent announcements of the first shipment and commercial usage ...
... Nastech,Pharmaceutical Company Inc. (Nasdaq: NSTK ) will be ... City on Thursday, October 4, 2007,from 12:00 p.m. - ... at Times,Square, on 270 West 43rd Street. The luncheon ... Ph.D., Chairman, President and,Chief Executive Officer and Gordon Brandt, ...
... is pleased to announce that the majority shares in ... Tampa,FL. (http://www.healthedgepartners.com ). Paul Guilbaud, ABT President ... exciting development of ABT. The acquisition allows us to ... necessary infrastructure for our,world- wide sales expansion and allow ...
Cached Biology Technology:Bioniche Reports Fiscal 2007 Year-End Results 2Bioniche Reports Fiscal 2007 Year-End Results 3Bioniche Reports Fiscal 2007 Year-End Results 4Bioniche Reports Fiscal 2007 Year-End Results 5Bioniche Reports Fiscal 2007 Year-End Results 6Bioniche Reports Fiscal 2007 Year-End Results 7Bioniche Reports Fiscal 2007 Year-End Results 8Bioniche Reports Fiscal 2007 Year-End Results 9Bioniche Reports Fiscal 2007 Year-End Results 10Nastech to Host 2007 Analyst and Institutional Investor Day 2Nastech to Host 2007 Analyst and Institutional Investor Day 3Advanced Bio-Technologies Inc Announces Acquisition by HealthEdge Investment Partners, Tampa FL 2
... is a fully automated microplate luminescence ... widest possible range of applications based ... assays luciferase, -galactosidase, gene activities with ... Luminescent Immunoassays Cell-based assays ...
... dispensers save space and organize gloves, ... garb. They are the perfect benchtop ... in labs, processing and manufacturing. Clear ... the particles they attract. Open-slot design ...
... handy dispensers save space and organize ... other garb. They are the perfect ... used in labs, processing and manufacturing. ... and the particles they attract. Many ...
... to the D-2000, except that it uses a ... wavelength range and comes with a shutter (controlled ... D-2000 Deuterium Light Source produces a powerful, ... versions of the light source are available, providing ...
Biology Products: